Katana VentraIP

Reggio revolt

The Reggio revolt occurred in Reggio Calabria, Italy, from July 1970 to February 1971. The cause of the protests was a government decision to make Catanzaro, not Reggio, regional capital of Calabria.[1][2] The nomination of a regional capital was the result of a decentralization programme of the Italian government, under which 15 governmental regions were concretized and given their own administrative councils and a measure of local autonomy.[3]

Reggio revolt

5 July 1970 – 23 February 1971

Decentralization and the choice of Catanzaro as the region capital

Recognition of Reggio Calabria as capoluogo (regional capital)

Strikes, street rioting and road and railway blockades

According to official figures of the Italian Ministry of the Interior there were 3 dead; other sources mention 5 dead

According to official figures of the Italian Ministry of the Interior there were 190 policemen and 37 civilians wounded; other sources mention hundreds of wounded

Arrest and imprisonment of the revolt's leaders, like Francesco Franco

Aftermath[edit]

In October 1972, the main left wing labour unions led by the Italian General Confederation of Labour organized a conference in Reggio to regain their influence. Twenty trains were chartered to bring workers from northern and central Italy. On one of the trains full of workers and trade unionists a bomb exploded leaving five injured. Two other bombs burst on the rails in the vicinity of Lamezia Terme, while other unexploded bombs were found along the same railway line.[8] Despite the attacks, many did reach Reggio to attend the conference and street march. Franco was investigated for distributing leaflets hostile to the anti-fascist demonstration.[21] Subsequent judicial investigations of charges of provocation and terrorism ended with his acquittal.


The steelworks was never built,[2] but a conflict between different 'Ndrangheta groups over the spoils of public construction contracts to built a railroad stump, the steelwork center, and the port in Gioia Tauro, led to the First 'Ndrangheta war.[22]

Barracks anarchists

Italicus Express bombing

Ferraresi Franco (1996). , Princeton (NJ): Princeton University Press, ISBN 0-691-04499-6

Threats to Democracy: The Radical Right in Italy after the War

Ginsborg, Paul (1990). , London: Penguin Books, ISBN 978-0-14-193167-8

A History of Contemporary Italy: 1943-80

Paoli, Letizia (2003). , New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-515724-9 (Review by Klaus Von Lampe) (Review by Alexandra V. Orlova)

Mafia Brotherhoods: Organized Crime, Italian Style

Paoli, Letizia (2003). Broken bonds: Mafia and politics in Sicily, in: Godson, Roy (ed.) (2004). , New Brunswick/London: Transaction Publishers, ISBN 0-7658-0502-2

Menace to Society: Political-criminal Collaboration Around the World

Partridge, Hilary (1998). , Manchester: Manchester University Press, ISBN 0-7190-4944-X

Italian politics today

Polimeni, Girolamo (1996). , Pellegrini Editore, ISBN 88-8101-022-4

La rivolta di Reggio Calabria del 1970: politica, istituzioni, protagonisti

La Storia siamo noi - Rai Educational

I giorni della rabbia - La rivolta di Reggio Calabria